The United States is preparing to provide the Lebanese Army with intelligence data and precise coordinates identifying Hezbollah weapons depots, underground tunnels and military facilities, as part of a mechanism aimed at dismantling the group’s military infrastructure, Lebanese political sources told Erem News.

According to the sources, the plan would begin in the newly established “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon before gradually expanding to other areas, marking a shift from broad political commitments on disarming Hezbollah toward a more practical, intelligence-driven process.

Under the proposed mechanism, the U.S. military would collect and verify intelligence related to suspected Hezbollah sites before transferring the information to the Lebanese Army command. The army would then be responsible for entering the locations, conducting searches, removing weapons, and documenting that the areas no longer contain military infrastructure belonging to the group.

The reported initiative follows Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s visit to Washington, where he presented U.S. President Donald Trump with a written proposal outlining a roadmap for dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenal. The discussions came as the Lebanese Army began deploying in areas from which Israeli forces had partially withdrawn under a U.S.-brokered framework agreement.

The sources said the proposed arrangement resembles a model used by Washington in Syria, where U.S. authorities provide intelligence on suspected weapons storage sites, tunnel networks or arms shipments believed to be linked to Hezbollah, while local forces carry out operations on the ground.

Washington, according to the sources, does not want American or Israeli forces to be seen conducting raids inside Lebanon. Instead, the goal is for the Lebanese Army to remain the sole force responsible for implementing the operations after receiving intelligence support, aerial imagery and accurate coordinates from the United States.

Under this approach, the Army’s role in the pilot zones would go beyond establishing a visible security presence. The Lebanese army would be expected to inspect buildings, land areas and underground facilities, seize weapons, and confirm that Hezbollah no longer maintains military structures in those locations.

The U.S.-backed framework requires the Lebanese Army to assume full security control over areas evacuated by Israel and verify that they are free of Hezbollah weapons and military installations.

Syria’s Role as Additional Pressure Point

The sources linked the emerging plan to remarks made by Trump during his meeting with Aoun, when the U.S. president praised Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying he was making progress in unifying Syria and expressing confidence that Aoun could achieve a similar goal in Lebanon.

The sources said Trump’s comments were not simply diplomatic praise but also carried a message to Beirut: Washington has the option of coordinating with Syria to tighten pressure on Hezbollah’s supply networks, while expecting the Lebanese state to demonstrate its ability to restore authority over its own territory.

U.S. officials have reportedly been examining the possibility of a Syrian role in disrupting weapons-smuggling and financing routes used by Hezbollah, while Washington continues efforts to train and equip selected Lebanese Army units tasked with taking control of areas vacated by Israel.

The sources said the U.S. assessment is that tighter border controls with Syria, combined with efforts to locate and dismantle weapons storage sites inside Lebanon, could place Hezbollah under a form of “dual pressure” after years in which Syrian territory served as a key transit route for Iranian missiles and military equipment destined for the group.

Linking Military Aid to Disarmament Mission

The issue of military and financial support for the Lebanese Army was reportedly a central topic during Aoun’s closed-door talks with Trump. According to the sources, Washington is preparing to organize an international conference aimed at securing additional resources for Lebanon’s military institution.

However, the expected assistance will be closely tied to the Army’s ability to carry out specific security missions, rather than being provided as general support.

The sources said Washington wants future funding and military aid to support concrete objectives, including deploying troops in areas evacuated by Israeli forces, inspecting Hezbollah facilities, securing Lebanon’s borders and preventing the reconstruction of weapons storage networks.

During his visit to Washington, Aoun called for additional military and political backing for the Lebanese Army, describing it as the central institution capable of restoring state sovereignty and ensuring national security.

The sources said the U.S. approach is moving away from traditional military assistance toward building a Lebanese military capability directly linked to eliminating the presence of an armed force operating outside state authority.

Pilot Zones Seen as First Major Test

The sources said the pilot zones represent more than a limited security experiment. They are expected to serve as a test of whether Lebanon can move from declaring the principle of exclusive state control over weapons to implementing it on the ground.

The Lebanese Army has already begun deploying in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, alongside operations in Froun and Srifa, following a partial Israeli withdrawal. The deployment represents the first practical test of an agreement requiring the Lebanese state to fill security gaps and prevent the return of unauthorized armed structures.

But the most difficult stage, according to the sources, will begin once intelligence identifies previously undisclosed tunnels or weapons depots. At that point, the Lebanese Army will face the challenge of entering those sites and removing their contents, even in the face of potential resistance or political objections from Hezbollah.

The sources concluded that Aoun’s visit to Washington moved the Hezbollah weapons issue into a more operational phase based on intelligence-sharing, targeted locations and enhanced support for the Lebanese Army.

They said the new approach reflects a U.S. assessment that Hezbollah is unlikely to voluntarily surrender its arsenal, and that its weapons have increasingly become viewed not only as a tool for confronting Israel but also as a factor limiting the Lebanese state’s ability to exercise full authority over national security decisions.